When Glass Vials Fail At Low Temperatures, Consider A Cyclic Olefin Polymer System

Many biologic drugs, including cell and gene therapies, require low-temperature containment and storage that can range from refrigerated to cryogenic conditions. But, sub-ambient temperatures can be problematic for standard glass vials. If your biologic drug experiences vial breakage or does not maintain container closure integrity (CCI), a cyclic olefin polymer (COP) system may be a solution. COPs are proving to be a potential alternative for biologics due to their break resistance, ability to maintain CCI at low temperatures, and a lack of interactions with biologic drugs. COPs’ (with rubber stoppers) ability to maintain CCI at low temperatures has been demonstrated in two studies, which will be discussed in this paper.